In a move that shocked the American entertainment industry, Disney Corporation – the parent company of ABC – has officially announced the cancellation of the Jimmy Kimmel Live! program after more than two decades on air.
This decision, according to many sources, was made under strong pressure from the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and its affiliates.
Immediately, this decision faced a wave of fierce protests from many Hollywood stars. The two most prominent faces were Gal Gadot – the actress who plays Wonder Woman – and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Hollywood’s top action star. Both publicly criticized Disney for “sacrificing art and creative freedom” in the face of political and media pressure.
Gal Gadot wrote on social media: “Jimmy Kimmel Live! is not just an entertainment program, it is a place for people to laugh, reflect and sometimes debate social issues. Canceling it just because of pressure from some management agencies is an act of disrespect to the audience and artists.”
Meanwhile, The Rock did not hesitate to give his frank opinion. He said: “It would be much worse if Disney continued to pretend that this was an internal decision. The truth is they do not want to be labeled as ‘the company that destroyed America’. But now, by bowing to pressure, Disney has turned itself into a traitor to the audience’s trust.”
The criticism of these two top stars has sparked a heated debate. A part of the audience supported Gal Gadot and The Rock, saying that canceling a long-standing program for political reasons is proof of the decline of free speech in Hollywood. “We are living in a time where artists are silenced for daring to satirize power. This is not the America we once knew,” one Twitter user commented.
However, there are also opinions that Disney has no other choice. Some inside sources revealed that the FCC has threatened to impose severe financial sanctions if ABC continues to air Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Kimmel himself has repeatedly caused controversy for his political satire, especially targeting influential figures.
Personally, I think Disney’s cancellation of this program is not just a simple business decision, but a clear sign that the American entertainment industry is increasingly dominated by politics. The Rock is right when he said that Disney wants to avoid being accused of “ruining America”, but ironically, this action is actually destroying the core values of creative freedom and freedom of expression.
This incident will certainly be discussed a lot in the future. Jimmy Kimmel Live! is more than just a late-night TV show; it’s a cultural icon of modern America. And with this controversial decision, Disney is putting itself squarely in conflict with some of Hollywood’s most powerful voices.
The question now is: if a show as stalwart as Jimmy Kimmel Live! can be canceled so easily, how many artists will dare to stand up to power and speak the truth?
